Automatic station-to-station delivery conveyer means



M. E. ABlTZ 2,640,531

AUTOMATIC STATION-TO-STATION DELIVERY CONVEYER MEANS June 2, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 7, 1949 INVENTOR. 'Melvirq E. Abliz 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 M. E. ABITZ AUTOMATIC STATION-TO-STATION DELIVERY CONVEYER MEANS s Ill-iii! Q 1| llll ll June 2, 1953 Filed Feb. 7, 1949 rlillll |||.|l|

INVENTOR. Molvin E.Abitz Aflornoy June 2, 1953 r M. ABITZ 2,640,581

AUTOMATIC STATION-TO-STATION DELIVERY CONVEYER MEANS p Filed Feb. 7. 1949 22 2a EMF-5M3 INVENTOR.

Patented June 2, 1953 AUTOMATIC STATION-TO STATION DELIVERY CONVEYER MEANS Melvin E. Abitz, Chicago, 111.

Application February 7, 1949, Serial No. 74,978

My invention relates to automatic station to station delivery conveyor structures.

A most important object of my invention is to provide automatic station to station delivery conveyor means, which when used for example in connection with food purveying establishment will make it possible for the diner to seat himself at a food counter and through an intercommunication system call his food order to the kitchen, and have the prepared food order automatically delivered to a designated dining station on the said food counter.

A further important object of my invention is to provide automatic station to station delivery conveyor means, the conveyor belt of which in addition to delivering the food tray to a designated dining station, has the means of returning the used trays with dirty dishes and silver thereon, through a dishwashing and dishdrying structure to a receiving point in the kitchen.

A still further important object of my invention is to provide automatic station to station delivery conveyor means having gradual selector means located at each dining station which in connection with selective tray stop means on the food tray provides an arresting and turning motion to the said tray directing it from the moving conveyor to the table or counter top at the proper dining station.

A further object of my invention is to provide automatic station to station delivery conveyor means having an enclosed conveyor track with a delivery door assembly structure having door means at each dining station which automatically opens when a tray is presented thereto and closes when the saidtray has-passed therethrough.

A still further object of my invention is to provide automatic station to station delivery conveyor means having suitable garbage collecting and disposal means associated with the dish washing means thereof.

A further object of my invention is to provide automatic station to station delivery conveyor means, that is designed for mass production and in units of the desired seating capacity that may be assembled and mounted in stores, factories, restaurants and such places where the efiicient and quick serving of food is essential.

Other objects and advantages inherent in my invention will be disclosed in the following description and the accompanying illustrations in which like parts are designated by like numerals and in which:

Fig. 1 is a top or plan view of my invention 3 Claims. (01. 198-38) showing the interrelation of all the principal parts thereof.

Fig. .2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of my invention taken substantially on line 2-2 on Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional View. of my invention taken substantially on line 3-3 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing details of the selective tray stop means of my invention.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing one of the operative positions of the delivery door assembly.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the delivery door assembly of my invention similar to that shown in Fig. 5 and showing the doors thereof in an open position and showin a tray being urged from the moving conveyor belt to the counter dining station.

Fig. '7 is anIenlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 11 on Figs. 2 and 5 and showing the automatic assembly door opening and closing means.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 878 .on Fig. Zand showing details'of the dishwasher feeder means. i i

Fig. 9 .is a transversecross-sectional view of my invention taken substantially on line 9-9 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectiona1 view showing details of the gradual selector means of .my invention.

Referring to the illustration my invention is generally designated and consists of a conveyor beltassembly I2, belt support and counter means I3,rconveyor housing and delivery door assembly I l, gradual selector means 15, a dishwas'hing structure it, arinsing structure H, a garbage disposal unit :8, an intercommunication system ifiin connection withv a kitchen 20. Selective tray stop means 22, conveyor tray means 2|, tray, stop container bins 23, prime mover means 24, a multiple seating structure 25, and .a dishwasher feeder means 26 are further important sub-assemblies of my invention. The said conveyor belt assembly 42 consists of a conveyor belt 2? which may be of wire mesh, or of rubber construction or the like and which is supported and motivated between friction driving means 23 and friction idler means 29, which preferably would consist of drums mounted on a driv ing shaft 30 and an idler shaft 3| respectively. The driving drum 28 would preferably be of greater diameter than the idler drum 29. The said conveyor belt assembly is motivated by prime mover means 24 in connection with sprocket belt and pulley means 32, and is further supported by the conveyor support table portion 33 which with counter portion 32 forms the top of belt support and counter means I3. Tray urging lugs designated 35-48 may be spaced at intervals on conveyor belt 27 to assist in urging the loaded food tray 2] to its destination. A foot rest portion 3'! in connection with counter means 13 provides anchorage for the tubular chair supports 38, upon which are mounted chair seats 39 and adjustable chair backs 45, as best shown in Fig. 3, vfherein a diner designated 61 is shown drawn in phantom lines. The conveyor tray means 2| is provided with rounded tray corners 4|, one of which is reinforced at 43, and counterbored at 42 for insertion of one of the selective tray stops 22.

A kitchen Wall 45 in kitchen 20 is provided with an opening 45 communicating with conveyor housing and delivery door assembly I4, and the loud speaker ii! of intercommunication system I 9 may be mounted thereon as shown. Telephones 4B are suitably mounted at intervals along counter portion 34. The said counter portion 34 extends on both sides of deliver door assembly l4 and is divided into dining stations designated 68, which may be numbered in sequence, the said numbers being designated 59.

The dishwasher feeder means 28 consists of trap doors 49 mounted on counter 34 one at each of the dining stations 68. The said trap doors 49 open downwardly and are maintained in a closed position by spring hinges and latch means 58. A push button 52 is recessed into counter top 34 adjacent each of the trap doors 46 for operation thereof by the diner when the conveyor tray 2| and the dishes thereon is to be returned to the dishwashing structure I8. A dish rinsing structure l1 used in connection with dishwashing structure It provides the dishwashing and drying means for the conveyor trays 2| as they are returned by the lower tra returning portion I6 to tray receiving bin 55. Tray diverting elements 64, mounted at the end of rinsing structure I1 have a wiping action on belt portion 16 and serve to urge the washed and dried conveyor tray 2| from conveyor belt 2'! into the said conveyor bin 65. A trap door 66 permits the said tray 2| to be removed from tray collecting bin 65 when desired. The conveyor housing and delivery door assembly is provided with hinged door elements 53 and 5 at each of the dining stations 68. Electric solenoids 51 operated by electric contacts '58 in connection with the gradual selector means I5 provides door opening actuation when one of the selective tray stops 22 contacts the offset 'portion 6! of the said gradual selector I5. Spring hinges 55, which mount door elements 53 and 54 upon conveyor housing and delivery door assembly I4 serve to return the said door elements 53 and to a closed position as shown in Fig. 5,

after a loaded conveyor tray 2| has been passed therethrough. The said gradual selectors |5 are mounted on the inner walls of conveyor housing and delivery door assembly I4, adjacent the door ,elements 53 and 54 within clearance recesses 60 The selective tray stops 22 are graduated as to length and are kept in convenient tray stop container bins 23 in the kitchen 22 above work table 44. The said selective tray stops 22 are further provided with flags '73 upon which are inscribed numbers I4 conforming with the numbers 69 at dining stations 68. Check holding clips IB- may be mounted upon flags '13 for holding the diner check II.

In the operation of my automatic station to station delivery conveyor means the conveyor belt assembly I2 thereof operates continuously as do the dishwashing and rinsing structures It and H. A diner designated 67 shown in Fig. 3 is seated in a chair of the multiple seating structure 25 and by means of telephone 48 of intercommunication system I9 calls his order to the kitchen 20. The order is prepared upon work tables 44 and placed in a conveyor tray 2|. A selective tray stop 22 is taken from the proper selective tray bin 23 having the number designated I4 thereon conforming with the number 69 of the selected dining station 58 from which the food order was phoned. The diner check H is clipped to flag I3 and selective tray stop 22 is inserted in dowel 42. The tray 2! together with the food thereon is placed upon the moving conveyor belt 21 to start its trip to the designated dining station 68.

As may be seen from Fig. 2, the gradual selectors 15 are so mounted upon the walls within conveyor housing and delivery door assembly M that each successive gradual selector I5 will be positioned at successively lower stages thereon. It will also be seen referring to Figs. 1 and 4 that the selective tray stops 22 are of graduated length and so numbered to conform with the gradual selectors l5 of the successive dining station 68. The selected tray stop 22 will engage the said gradual selector I5 as the tray 2| passes that point. The engagement of selective tray stop 22 with gradual selector I5 causes door elements 63 and 54 to be opened by closing the electrical circuit of solenoid 51. Simultaneously tray 2| being engaged by gradual selector I5 is urged forwardly by tray urging lugs 35 resulting in radially diverted cam action through the open doorway 15 and onto the dining station 63 before the diner 6T. Tra urging lugs 35 and 38 in concert with gradual selector pin I5 physically contacting selective tray stop 22 facilitate the said cam urging action hereinabove described so that as the tray is completely passed through doorway 15, and as selective tray stop 22 disengages gradual selector {5, solenoid 5! is de-energized and the door elements 53 and 54 are permitted to be closed by the spring hinges 55. The limited radial movement of gradual selector pin I5 permits pin 22 to slide off obliquely from the offset portion 6| of pin I5 thus completely freeing the tray 2|. The used trays 2| are returned by the diner to dishwashing structure [5 through the hereinabove described trap doors 26. The lower edge of door element 54 is rounded at 56 to prevent the said door 54 from closing on the edge of tray 2|.

Important uses for my invention would include food purveying shops such as restaurants, and also stores, factories, and other places where people are employed and must be fed with expedition and elficiency. When used in connection with food purveying establishments, my food conveying means may be operated with the minimum of help, requiring hardly more than kitchen help and cashier, eliminating bus boys, dishwashers, waiters, waitresses and the like.

A further important advantage of my invention is the hygenic feature of its operation in which trays of partly consumed food are not allowed to accumulate as is the case in other types of food establishments.

Although my invention has been described, the terms used are to be deemed terms of description rather than terms of limitation, my intention being to retain the right to all mechanical equivalents of the structural elements depicted, provided they fall within the purview of the appended claims.

Having thus disclosed and revealed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Automatic station-to-station conveyor means comprising, conveyor belt assembly support means, endless conveyor belt assembly means mounted thereon provided with tray urging lugs on the longitudinal axis thereof, and further provided with lateral rest lugs to support a conveyor tray, conveyor belt housing and delivery door assembly means of tunnel-like formation mounted to straddle the said endless conveyor belt assembly means, gradual horizontally mounted selector pin means mounted at difierent levels on the said conveyor belt housing and delivery door assembly means, plural delivery door means hingedly secured to the said conveyor belt housing and delivery door assembly, spring means normally urging the said delivery door means to closed position, electric solenoid means connected interiorly of the, said deliver door means and adapted to open same when energized, conveyor tray means adapted to be moved upon the said endless conveyor belt assembly means, vertically mounted selective tray pin arresting means of varied lengths secured to the said conveyor tray '40 means and adapted to engage a specific gradual selector pin thereby effectuating opening of a door of the said conveyor belt housing and deliver door assembly means, and electric circuit means interconnecting the said electric solenoid means to the said gradual selector pin means and to the said selective tray pin arresting means, physical contact of both of the aforementioned pin means closing the said electrical circuit to energize the said electric solenoid means to open the said delivery door means simultaneously causing the said gradual selector pin means in concert with the said tray pin arresting means to divert the said conveyor tray means radially through the said delivery door means, tray propelling lug means secured to the said endless conveyor belt assembly means and engaging an edge of a tray to effectively propel and convey the same through an open door of the said conveyor belt housing and delivery door assembly means.

2. Automatic station-to-station conveyor means comprising, conveyor belt assembly support means, endless conveyor belt assembly means mounted thereon provided with tray urging lugs on the longitudinal axis thereof, and further provided with lateral rest lugs to support a conveyor tray, conveyor belt housing and delivery door assembly means of tunnel-like formation mounted to straddle the said endless conveyor belt assembly means, gradual horizontally mounted selector pin means mounted at different levels on the said conveyor belt housing and delivery door assembly means, plural delivery door means hingedly secured to the said conveyor belt housing and delivery door assembly, spring means normally urging the said delivery door means to closed position, electric solenoid means connected interiorly of the said delivery door means and adapted to open same when energized, conveyor tray means adapted to be moved upon the said endless conveyor belt assembly means, vertically mounted selective tray pin arresting means of varied lengths secured to the said conveyor tray means and adapted to engage a specific gradual selector pin thereby efiectuating opening of a door of the said conveyor belt housing and delivery door assembly means, electric circuit means interconnecting the said electric solenoid means to the said gradual selector pin means and to the said selective tray pin arresting means, physical contact of both of the aforementioned pin means closing the said electrical circuit to energize the said electric solenoid means to open the said delivery door' means simultaneously causing the said gradual selector pin means in concert with the said tray pin arresting means to divert the said conveyor tray means radially through the said delivery door means, tray propelling lug means secured to the said endless conveyor belt assembly means and engaging an edge of a tray to effectively propel and convey the same through an open door of the said conveyor belt housing and delivery door assembly means, the said conveyor belt assembly support means being subdivided into a tray purveying section and a tray loading section, and means for storing a variety of said selective tray arresting means within the said tray loading section.

3. Automatic station-to-station conveyor means comprising, conveyor belt assembly support means, endless conveyor belt assembly means mounted thereon provided with tray urging lugs on the longitudinal axis thereof, and further provided with lateral rest lugs to support a conveyor tray, conveyor belt housing and delivery door assembly means of tunnel-like formation mounted to straddle the said endless conveyor belt assembly means, gradual horizontally mounted selector pin means mounted at difierent levels on the said conveyor belt housing and delivery door assembly means, plural delivery door means hingedly secured to the said conveyor belt housing and delivery foor assembly, spring means normally urging the said delivery door means to closed position, electric solenoid means connected interiorly of the said delivery door means and adapted to open same when energized, conveyor tray means adapted to be moved upon the said endless conveyor belt assembly means, vertically mounted selective tray pin arresting means of varied lengths secured to the said conveyor tray means and adapted to engage a specific gradual selector pin thereby eifectuating opening of a door of the said conveyor belt housing and delivery door assembly means, electric circuit means interconnecting the said electric solenoid means to the said gradual selector pin means and to the said selective tray pin arresting means, physical contact of both of the aforementioned pin means closing the said electrical circuit to energize the said electric solenoid means to open the said delivery door means simultaneously causing the said gradual selector pin means in concert with the said tray pin arresting means to divert the said conveyor tray means radially through the said delivery door means, tray propelling lug means secured to the said endless conveyor belt assembly means and engaging an edge of a tray to effectively propel and convey the same through an open door of the said conveyor belt housing and delivery door assembly means, the said gradual selector means being disposed initially in its uppermost position diminishing inheight gradually toward the terminus of the said conveyor belt housing and delivery door as sembly to a selector in its lowermost position.

MELVIN E. ABITZ.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number 8 Name Date Knott Mar. 11, 1902 LaPlace July 2, 1912 Kuhn Dec. 26, 1922 Anderson Nov. 11, 1930 Cowley May 5, 1931 Hall Aug. 25, 1931 Hall Oct. 6, 1931 Starks July 5, 1932 Olson Oct. 11, 1932 Cody July 3, 1934 Dambaeh, Jr. Apr. 21, 1942 Beaulieu July 18, 1944 Hecht Aug. 1, 1950 

